When Tena Ragsdale first began tumbling in Little Rock she could have never guessed the impact it would have on her life. Ragsdale, who has operated Tena’s Gymnastics in Russellville for 30 years, has been doing gymnastics in one form or another ever since.

Ragsdale was the lone gymnastics team member for the Dardanelle Sand Lizards when she moved the the Arkansas River Valley. According to her, there weren’t many places teaching gymnastics at that time — and the ones who were, weren’t quite up to the skill level she had reached while still training in Little Rock.

“The first class I joined I was really just helping to teach them,” she said. “I never really learned a lot more once I left Little Rock. I just did it because I wanted to stay in the sport.”

Ragsdale earned her degree in health and physical education at Arkansas Tech University because it was the closest thing available to achieve her dream of one day coaching gymnastics. While at Tech she was a cheerleader but she was also working toward her goals on the side.

“I sort of partnered with one of my old coaches,” she explained. “She would go to different towns and teach, and I’d just help her. Eventually I started doing it by myself. I was working for someone else, traveling and carrying equipment in my vehicle while trying to attend classes and cheer.”

After one year it became clear something was going to have to go, either cheerleading or her work with gymnastics. After talking it over with her parents, who encouraged her to chase her dreams, Ragsdale chose gymnastics.

“I have been coaching since 1978,” Ragsdale said. “But I didn’t start my own business until 30 years ago.”

Ragsdale said it didn’t occur to her to open her own business until job offers began to roll in from the towns she visited.

“People would offer to pay for my equipment if I’d start teaching in their hometown. That’s when I really started,” she said. “I bought me two mats and I started from there.”

Ragsdale opened Tena’s in Russellville in 1983 — and the rest is history. Tena’s Gymnastics is packed with youngsters eager to learn every night of the week. Ragsdale went from lugging around gymnastics equipment and teaching on somebody else’s payroll to managing 20 staff members, from coaches, office staff to custodians.

But her favorite aspect of coaching gymnastics has never changed: the kids. Ragsdale loves working with kids, although she admits the age group has changed as she’s gotten older.

“I’ve worked with all ages,” she said. “I also teach for the college here. Every age is different and you have to approach them differently, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve grown to love the preschool age. They’re so funny and it’s something new every day.”

But how do you teach a toddler to do a cartwheel? Ragsdale said it’s simple: You make it a game.

“We pretend to be animals,” she said. “They don’t realize they’re doing gymnastics because they think we’re playing with them. We’ll make them walk like a bear, similar to the way football players do. They’re stretching out their hamstrings. Then we’ll have them walk like puppy dogs. We’ll have them walk with one leg in the air and we’ll say ‘Walk like a puppy on his way to the vet’. It works on flexibility. Ideally we work them up toward a headstand. They think we’re just playing, but we’re really doing different drills.”

Ragsdale still teaches a few classes and assists other coaches who work under her, but these days she’s moved into a more managerial role.

According to her, it’s her job to make sure things run smoothly — something she takes seriously. Gymnastics, after all, is and has been her life.